Device for covering containers



i Feb. 16, 1960 H. PAINE, JR 2,

DEVICE FOR COVERING CONTAINERS Filed Oct 14, 1955 Un ims. am 1 'States Box and Basket Company, Los Angeles, Calif.,

a corporation of California I Application October 14, 1955, Serial No. 540,426

3 Claims. (Cl. 53-135) The present invention relates in general to devices for covering containers and, more particularly, to a device for securing a closure to a container by means of an elastomeric band encircling the container and engaging a peripheral portion of a closure of sheet material which covers one end of the container and overlies the sides of the container, the elastorneric band engaging the overlying peripheral portion of the closure to press same against the sides of the container. The elastomeric band may be an ordinary rubber band, the term -band, as used herein, meaning an endless band or loop. While the present invention may be utilized for covering containers of various types, it has particular utility in coveringa basket of the type in which strawberries are customarily packed, and the invention will be considered in connection-with such a basket herein for convenience in effecting a disclosure thereof. After a strawberry basket has been filled, it is desirable to cover same to protect the contentsthereof. The basket may be covered by a closure of sheet material, such as paper, or a suitable plastic such as cellophane, the central portion of the closure covering the open end of the basket and the securing the closure to the container with an elastomeric band in the manner indicated.

"More particularly, an object of the invention is to pro vide a device having means for stretching the central portion of the closure tight over the open end of the containerfand for pressing the peripheral portionof the closure against the sides of the container preparatory to "securing the closure in place by means of an elastomeric band. 1 An important object of the invention is to provide a 'device having a plurality of retainers for maintaining an elast'omeric band in a stretchedcondition around the container in register with the peripheral portion of the cl sure,.and having means for releasing the stretched band from the retainers so that the band snaps inwardly into engagement with the peripheral portion of the closure to hold'the same against the sides of the container.

Another object is to provide a device comprising a frame adapted to encircle the container and carrying the means for applying the closure to the container, such frame also carrying the retainers for the stretched elasto- .meric'band and the means for releasing the band from the retainers. i u

f'Another' object of the invention is to provide a releasing meansfor the stretched elastomeric band which in- }cludes for pushing the stretched band off the retainers, whereby itsnaps inwardly into" engagement with ritent a r s, 1960 the peripheral portion of the closure to secure the closure to the container. A related object is to provide means of this nature comprising reciprocable push-off elements operable by reciprocable feetfc arried by the frame and engageable with a container-supporting surface, or the like, to actuate the push-olfelements.

Another object is to provide a releasing means for the stretched elastomeric band which comprises retainers reciprocable between extended; and retracted positions and which comprises reciprocable feet carried by the frame and engageable with a container -supportmg surface for retracting the retainersinto the frame so as to release the stretched elastomeric band. In this connection, an object is to provide aconstruction wherein the feet are connected to the retainers through pivoted levers so that movement of the feet in one direction produces retractive movement of the retainers in the opposite direction. a

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features, and results thereof which will become apparent, may be attained with the exemplary embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail hereinafter. t

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is an isometric view illustrating the device of the invention in position to applyand secure a closure to a container; t a

Fig. 2 is an isometricview'illustrating the relative positions of the device of the invention, the container and the closure after the device has been utilized to apply and secure the closure. to the container;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged, segmentary sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 33 and 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 2; 5

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a push-off element incorporated in the embodiment of the'invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4; and d Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Considering the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a device of the invention for applying and securing a closure 12 to a container 14.

In the particular construction illustrated, the container 14 is a simple basket of the type used. in packing strawberries, or other produce, the container comprising two U-shaped strips 16 of veneered wood secured together by a metallic band 18 crimped over the ends of the strips. The closure 12 comprises a sheet, preferably of transparent material, which is adapted to be placed over the open upper end of the container 14 and which is larger than the upper end of the container to provide a central portion 20 covering the upper end of the container, and a peripheral portion 22" adapted to be folded downwardly over the sides of the container, as shownin Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing. The closure 12 is held in place by an elastomeric band 24, preferably a common rubber band, circling the container beneath the band 18 ,and holding the peripheral portion 22. of the closure shown asrubber strips32, which automatically position the'closure 12 on the'container14 in the desired manner over the container. More. particularly, the rubber strips 32 serve asa'means forstretchingfth'e' central portion of the closure 12 andfor pressing the peripheral .por tion 22 thereof against the-{side's of the' coritaiiier 1 with a wlpmg action'in response to relative axial movement ofthe frarne30 and thecontainer 14. ."l'hus, therubber str1ps 32 automatically position the closure"12fon the contalner 14 preparatory to'securing the closure to the container b'ymeans of the elastomeric band 24. In the particular construction; illustrated, the frame. 30 is of laminated construction; the'rubber strips 32 being clamped between two laminae 34" of the'frarne, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, although other'constructions may be used.

The frame 30 serves as. asupporting structure for a plurality of retainers 36 spaced apart around the frame, theretainersbeinglocated at the corners of'the frame with the particular frame and container configuration illustrated. The retainers 36 are adapted to hold the elastomeric band 24in a stretched condition until-such time as the frame 30 and the container14i have been moved axially relative to each' other to position the stretched elastomeric band in register With' the peripheral portion 22 of the closure 12 beneath'the band 18 of the container, means 38' for. releasing the stretched band being provided to permit the band to snap inwardly into engagement with the peripheral portion 22'of the closure to retain the closure on the container. 1

In the particular construction illustrated, the retainers 36 are pins set in posts.40 at the corners of the frame 30,

these pins, as shown inv Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, to maintain it in astretched condition until it is'disengaged by the releasingmeans 38. I v

The releasing means 38 consist of means'movable upwardly to releasing positions for pushing the" stretched band 24 off the pins 36, and include push-off elements 42 at the respective pins. As best shown in Fig. 5, each push-off element 42 includes an eye 44, this eye encircling the corresponding vpin 36 so that the eye pushes the stretched band 24 off the corresponding pinupon upward movement of the eye, as viewed in the drawing.

Considering the manner in which the push-01f, elements 42 are actuated, each ofthese elements includes a stem 46 carrying the corresponding eye 44. Connected to the stem 46 of each push-off element 42 is an actuator 48 reciprocable in a bore 50 in the corresponding post 40, each actuator being biased axially in the downward direction, as viewed in the drawing, by' a compression spring 52. The actuators 48 act as feet for supporting the device 10 on a suitable container-supporting surface 54 until such time as the frame 30 is displaced toward such surface. As hereinafter described in more detail, the displacement of the frame 30 toward the surface 54 results in upward movement of the eyes 44 relative to the frame 30 to release the stretched elastomeric 'band 24 from the retainers36. 7

Considering the operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to of the drawing, .with the container 14 on the supporting surface 54, the closure 12is placed over the upper end ofthe container, the central portion 20 of the closure covering the open upper end of the container and the peripheral portion 22thereof projecting outwardly beyondth'e container. The device is then moved downwardly over the container 1 4 with the elastomeric band 24 stretched around the retainers 36. As the device 10.is moved downwardly over the container 14, the rubber strips 32 engage the peripheral portion 22 of the closure 12 with a wiping action to stretch the central portion 20 of theclosure over the open' upper end of thecontainer and t0 :PIfiss the-.peripherala.portion .oflhe closurerdownwardly against the sides of the container, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing; Continueddownwardmovement of' the device 10 toward the container-supporting surface 54 results in an engagement of the actuators or feet 48 with the surface 54, with the result that the actuators move the push-off elements 42 upwardly relative to the pins 36,

the elastomeric band 24 being adapted to be hooked over i.e., the pin 36 moves downwardly relative to the pusholf elements. As this occurs, the eyes 44 of the push off elements 42disengage the stretched band-24 from the pins 36,-whereupon the band; snaps inwardly. into engagement with the peripheral portion 22 of; theelosure 12 just below the band 18 on the container 14' to'press the peripheral portion of the closure firmly against the sides of the container; and thu s'secures the closure to the container.

It will be noted that the device 10 thus automatically applies the closure 12 to the container 14 and secures it thereto. All that is required of the operator is to 'place the closure 12 over the container 14 and'to' move the device 10 downwardly over the container until the lower ends of the posts 40 seaton the container-supporting surface 54, the device automatically crimping the closure over the upper'end of the container and automatically releasing the elastomeric band 24 to secure the closure in place, which are important features of the inventionQ v Y Considering now the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6 ofthe drawing, this embodiment, which is-de'signated' generally by the numeral 60, is hasically similar to the device 19 except that it releases the elastomeric band in a different way. For convenience, corresponding reference numeralsareapplied to identical parts. t i

The device 60'includes at the corners of'the frame 3!) posts 62 having reciprocable retainers or pins 64 therein, these pins being movable to extended positions toreta'in a stretched elastomeric band and being movable to retracted positions to release the band. Mountedin each post 62 on a pivot pin 66 is alever 68 which is pivo'tall'y connected atone end to the corresponding retainer 01' pin 64. The opposite end of the lever 68 is pivotally connected to an actuator or foot 70 which is reciprocable in a bore 72 in the corresponding post 62 and which is biased downwardly'by'a compression spring 74. The pivotal connection between the .lever 68 and the foot70 is provided by inserting the lever into a-transverse opening 76 through the foot having approximately the configuration of an hourglass. Withthis construction, the lever 68 and the walls. ofthe opening 76 co-operateto provide astop'meansfor limiting outwardmovement' of the actuator under the influenceof the spring 74 in" a manner whichwill be apparent from Fig. 6" of the drawing. v i

Considering the operation of the device 60, the only difference between the operation of this device and that of the device 10'is that a stretched .elastomeric band, not shown, retained by the pins 64 is released by retraction of these pins into the frame 30, instead of by pushing the band off the pins. In all other respects, the operation of the device 60 is identical to that'of the device 10.

Although I have disclosed exemplary embodiments of my inventioniherein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that variouschanges, modifications, and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventionas defined by the claims hereinafter appearing.

I claim as my invention: v 1; In a device. of the character described,the combination .of: a frame meanscarried by said'frame for holding a closure in engagement with a container; la plurality of retainers carried by said frame on oneside thereof and adapted to retain an elastomeric bandin stretched condition around; the container; and a plurality of releasr from the retainers, respectively, so that it snaps inwardly into engagement with the closure to secure it to the container.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a frame adapted to surround a container; a plurality of pins carried by said frame on one side thereof and adapted to retain an elastomeric band in stretched condition around the container; and means for pushing the stretched band ofi said pins so that it snaps inwardly into engagement with the container, including push-01f elements reciprocable axially along said pins, and including reciprocable feet projecting from the opposite side of said frame and connected to said push-oif elements.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a frame adapted to surround a container; a plurality of reciprocable pins carried by said frame on one side thereof and movable relative thereto between extended and retracted positions, said pins being adapted to retain an elastomeric band in stretched condition around the container when in their extended positions, and being adapted to release the stretched band when moved into their retracted positions so that the band snaps inwardly into engagement with the container; and means for moving said pins into their retracted positions to release the stretched band, including reciprocable feet projecting from the opposite side of said frame, and including levers pivotally connected to said frame and pivotally connected to said feet and said pins, respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,089,769 Strout Aug. 10, 1937 2,149,377 Winslow Mar. 7, 1939 2,514,038 Doolittle July 4, 1950 

